The Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone is known for their brutalities and their pursuance of the conflict diamonds in the country of Sierra Leone.

The origin of the opposition group headed by Foday Sankoh was to oppose the government. To ensure the equal sharing of the diamond revenues with the government and the people. This was soon corrupted by Foday Sankoh’s desire to ensure that his group would be provided with more arms and resources.

The student Foday Sankoh

Foday Sankoh was a student who was imprisoned several times because of his activism. He went on to form the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). To oppose the installation of then president Joseph Momoh, a military leader in Sierra Leone. During his exile, he met Charles Taylor who was his benefactor and primary ally during the Sierra Leone Civil War. Charles Taylor soon became the president of Liberia.

Foday Sankoh and his revolutionary group soon turn from being vigilantes to being exploiters. As the RUF soon became known for their violence and brutality. Their brutalities include employing the use of children as laborers and soldiers to fight with them during their attacks against the Sierra Leone government.

Also, the RUF was known for their rapes and killings of people. It was under the ruling of Foday Sankoh that violent age of the Civil War in Sierra Leone was witnessed.

After the Civil War, he was arrested and indicted for several accounts of rapes, killings, and other crimes against humanity.